Someone tampering with my coop?

[V Chic Chick]

Quote:
I've padlocked the coop and I'm now getting more eggs. I have no idea who it was - it could have really been anyone, and it's just not possible to start turning my garden into Fort Knox, even if I had the money.

I'm not too worried about the biosecurity risk, on the principal that anything that flies over could spread it (and we have a lot of wild birds here), and that the only people near me with poultry have ducks, and it wouldn't be them anyway. Plus there's more likelihood of me tracking it home from work (at the city farm . . . 90 ish birds plus chicks and ducklings).

 

[Llysse]

Well, I'm glad that's taken care of the situation as far as the eggs go!

 

[Oaknim]

I had a similar experience several months ago - I came home late one night and went to put up the goats and chickens to find that everyone was already shut in their respective homes in the barn and sleeping. ????? I called all my friends and family and no one had any clue as to what I was talking about. About a month or so ago, I came home to find all of my dogs outside, sitting on the porch waiting for me. ?????? My blinds were destroyed (our boxer will bite them if he can't see through them) and a window was broken (but it was too small and high up for even our smallest dog to get through). Nothing was taken, nothing was messed with and once again, I called everyone I knew and even asked the mailman - no one had a clue as to what I was talking about. Then a few weeks ago, I came home to find that someone had poured a caustic chemical all over one of my dogs - that had suspiciously been let out AGAIN. So I don't know what's going on, but it's made me into a paranoid hillbilly for sure. ~ Oaknim

 

[Sherry]

Walmart sells a "scouting" or trail camera, less than $100. Put that up somewhere and see what you get.

Oaknim...
I too have a boxer that doesn't like the blinds closed. I've had restart many a shopping trip to come back and open the blinds...otherwise I'd have to replace.

 

[Smoky73]

If your not locking your door, I would start. Or change my locks. Someone is obviiously able to get into your house and thats not good.

 

[Oaknim]

Oscar (the boxer) is such a big baby - we got him as a rescue. Some people had tied him up in their backyard and moved; left him with no food, no water, no shelter. My friend Paul fed and watered him for two weeks and when bad weather set in, he called me and asked me to come get him. So now he's my ugly little boy

I've given up on the blinds - the originals and the replacements are completely ruined. I'm hoping to restart with curtains...*crossing my fingers here*...

He's a beautiful brindle and extremely friendly. I love him to death and I can't believe anyone would abandon any animal, especially him. ~ Oaknim

 

[pipermark]

Possumes, raccons could have done what you described, snake as well. The wax seal may have closed the door enough they couldnt get in.

I live in town, I have one of my coops up on cinderblocks, I shifted it and couldnt believe the amount of eggs underneath it, cracked open like a chef had made an omlette

. Some critter had been raiding the nests for awhile. Thankfully whatever is was likes eggs more than chicken

 

[V Chic Chick]

Possumes, raccons could have done what you described, snake as well. The wax seal may have closed the door enough they couldnt get in.

I hadn't thought of that, but we don't have possums or raccoons here. There are snakes around, but I've never seen them. There are still a few gaps around where snakes could get in if they really wanted to, so I doubt that's the case. My coop is also up on stilts with chicken wire around the bottom (so the chickens can go under but not escape). I don't know enough about snakes to know if they could go up something like that, but I find it unlikely.

Walmart sells a "scouting" or trail camera, less than $100. Put that up somewhere and see what you get.

Only thing is that there's no electricity down by the coop, and I'd have to lay a 200 ft long armoured cable down there . . . I simply don't have the time or the money.

I had a similar experience several months ago - I came home late one night and went to put up the goats and chickens to find that everyone was already shut in their respective homes in the barn and sleeping. ????? I called all my friends and family and no one had any clue as to what I was talking about. About a month or so ago, I came home to find all of my dogs outside, sitting on the porch waiting for me. ?????? My blinds were destroyed (our boxer will bite them if he can't see through them) and a window was broken (but it was too small and high up for even our smallest dog to get through). Nothing was taken, nothing was messed with and once again, I called everyone I knew and even asked the mailman - no one had a clue as to what I was talking about. Then a few weeks ago, I came home to find that someone had poured a caustic chemical all over one of my dogs - that had suspiciously been let out AGAIN. So I don't know what's going on, but it's made me into a paranoid hillbilly for sure. ~ Oaknim

Eek! That sort of thing would turn me into a paranoid hillbilly too, and I'm not exactly a paranoid person!​

 

[schmism]

Quote:
<wink> <sinker> game cameras run off of battery as they are designed to be placed deep in the woods FAR FAR away from electricity.

http://www.buy.com/prod/bushnell-11...l-sentry-game-camera/q/loc/111/202984496.html

they are a digital camera operated by a motion detector. Some have flash, others dont. you can go and bring it back to the house to download the pics after a few days to see who or what has been visiting.

 

[2mnypets]

Those motion sensor camera's are great. We have two of them that we put around trees in the areas we hunt in. One camera does video & pictures and the other just takes pictures. Nice thing is they will do night vision. If I remember correctly it's a 12 volt battery. I might be wrong on the number but I know it's big and square and we find it in the camping section at Walmart....mixed in where you find the flashlights. Worth its weight in gold!